In This Is Love...

"What do you think 'atoning sacrifice' means?" she asked the crowd of 30+ refugee children. I'll never forget my first-ever weekend neighborhood outreach with For the Nations Refugee Outreach. It was just over a week ago, the Saturday before Valentine's Day. As I directed people-traffic and scribbled African and Afghan names on 30 nametags, I wondered about the impending chaos. After all, some of the middle-school-aged boys had a reputation for disruption. Most of these kids come from Mslm families; would they just scoff at the teaching from the Bible? Would they even understand it? But some of the kids proved otherwise. After the Bible lesson, we began memorizing 1 John 4:10 phrase-by-phrase using heart-shaped cards. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." When one lady asked "what do you think 'atoning sacrifice' means?" my eyes immediately turned to Hassan.* Sure enough, his hand shot up. "That's easy. A sacrifice is something that dies in someone's place so they can live. Jesus is the sacrifice who took our sins and died in our place." Boom. If his peers heard nothing else that day, I hope they at least listened to Hassan's words. Hassan is always proud to display his knowledge of soccer, spelling, or spiritual things. I can always count on him to ask (or answer) deep questions about the Bible stories at our weekly homework help. I'm glad he has learned the gospel so clearly through our programs, but I hope he desires to know God personally. Pray that Hassan will believe in his heart that Jesus loves him and came to die as his atoning sacrifice.

More news: My monthly support level is just past 25%! I immersed into Karen culture at the local Karen New Year festival -- a great opportunity to bond with students outside the classroom (photos coming soon). Executive order about refugees: For the Nations has issued this statement and these practical suggestions. We're still committed to share the message of Jesus' love to refugees while we have ample opportunity. Feel free to contact me if you'd like to talk more or hear my perspective. *Names changed for privacy reasons. To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*

A Call to Prayer

The Burma ESL group reading from the gospel of Luke.

But when Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
Matthew 9:36-38

One thing the Lord has been teaching me through this full-time-support-raising-missions process is the necessity of prayer. It gives me the peace to trust in the One who is Lord of the harvest. As I pray for God to send workers, I can't help but catch His urgent compassion for those who are weary and scattered. The beautiful thing is that to answer our prayer, He often changes us sheep into the laborers He sends out. What a privilege to be called to prayer!

With the start of classes this week after Christmas break and staff training, our ESL classes were full with several new students and eager returners. While it was fun to re-connect with students, several of our key staff and volunteers were absent or sick, so things have been a little hectic. Quite literally, the harvest was plentiful and the laborers were few! But it has been so encouraging to see new "laborers" fill in the gaps, even several from my home church family. You guys know who you are… thank you for volunteering!

Another highlight from the week happened at our Thursday after-school Kids' Club. A young Iraqi girl (whom we thought had stopped coming because of the Gospel emphasis) came to Club and sat in the front during the Bible story. The best part was that she came because she was invited by Mona*(names changed for privacy), a refugee girl from Sudan who is a young believer and was recently baptized. Praise God for raising up Mona to send into His harvest!

• Pray for Mona's continued spiritual growth, and pray that her friend Jewel* will consistently attend Kids' Club this year and want to know Jesus.
• Pray for my ability to balance various roles: I am teaching an adult ESL level 4 class on Wednesdays, TA-ing for a level 2 class, and shadowing the children's director as I look toward eventually taking on more responsibilities with Kids' Clubs & outreaches. I am also still working part-time as my church's secretary and, of course, building connections for support-raising.
• Pray that prayer, not anxiety, will become my default response to everything God brings my way.
• Pray that God will give me wisdom as I raise support, that I will be teachable and trust God for provision, and that He will guide me to the right ministry partnerships in His timing.

*Names changed for privacy reasons. To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*

Baptisms and a Birthday

Last week we finished ESL classes and Kids Club tutoring for the Fall 2016 term. What a blessing to look back on all that God has done over the past 3+ months! He has answered many prayers:

• The students in my classes have made great personal accomplishments! One lady, Nae, in my Level 2 class has really begun to open up and express herself through English conversation. A few weeks ago, she shared with the class that before she started attending English classes at For the Nations, she had never been to school or learned how to write her name, even in her own language. 
• I was blessed with lots of opportunities to expand my ESL teaching experience, both as a teacher's assistant for Level 2, sign language instructor for a deaf Level 2 student, and as a substitute teacher for Levels 1 and 3. Subbing for Level 3 was a personal highlight, and challenged me a lot as a teacher! The students were eager and active learners, and I had to work hard to find new ways to stretch them and help them apply what they learned. We had a lot of fun writing dialogs and acting them out, discussing American holidays, and articulating what stood out to each of us from the group Bible lessons. Some of them are believers, and they encourage me with their humility and profound insights.
• Five African young ladies were baptized two weeks ago! Huda, Samya, Asima, and Alya* were some of the first children in the FTNRO Kids Clubs, who have since come to believe in Jesus and are now serving as youth interns with For the Nations. The fifth girl, Mona, is Alya's little sister. It is such a joy to see these girls growing in the Lord and investing back into the younger generation of refugee kids. Praise God!

  

  Elijah enjoying a Christmas cookie

• Since most of the children didn't have homework last week, Sarah Risdon (the awesome Children's Programs director) and I turned our Kids Club meetings into Christmas parties -- what fun! Praise God for the opportunities we had to share the true Christmas story with these children, both in reading the Bible story and in one-on-one conversations. The children asked a lot of good questions that demonstrated . For many of the kids, it was apparently the first time they connected the birth of Isa (Jesus) the Son of Maryam (Mary) with the festive celebrations we have in the West. As little Nadia said, "Wow, we get to celebrate Jesus' birthday?!"

Such a good reminder of the privilege we have to celebrate the incarnation of heaven's King, Who has "visited us to accomplish redemption for His people" and to "guide our feet into the way of peace" (from Luke 1). What good news of great joy for all the people, that there has been born for us a Savior -- Christ the Lord (from Luke 2)!

I ask you to pray with me through this holiday season for the following requests:

• Nae and I have exchanged phone numbers in case she needs help with English homework over Christmas break. She is from a Catholic family from an oppressed people group of Burma. Pray that we would be able to meet and that God would direct our conversation to Jesus.
• Htwa (my deaf friend) desires to get a driver's license so she can get a job, but she failed her road test last week and feels discouraged. Pray for God's provision and that she will understand His love for her. She is also from a Catholic family.
• Pray for Huda, Samya, Asima, Alya, and Mona to grow spiritually and have wisdom and boldness with unsaved family members.
• Please pray that God will give me wisdom as I transition into a full-time, on-support role at For the Nations. Raising financial support is a new and humbling challenge for me; pray that I will be teachable and trust God for provision, and that He will guide me to the right ministry partnerships in His timing.

*My prayer cards arrived yesterday, so please send me your address so I can send you one! Also, don't forget to let me know if you would like to partner with me as part of my prayer team or in financial support! Feel free to email/call/text me if you have any questions.

Thank you for your prayers and support. Have a blessed Christmas, and may the peace of Christ rule in our hearts as we enter the new year!

The preschoolers sang Away in a Manger for their parents in ESL :)

*Names changed for privacy reasons. To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*

An Open Door

Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” Matthew 28:18-19a

After the Bible lesson at after-school tutoring, Nadia* handed me a wrinkled sheet of notebook paper. The energetic 2nd-grader proudly announced, “See, I listened so well today!” and proceeded to explain her series of drawings: “Here are Adam and Eve, happy because they love God. But then they listened to the snake in this tree instead of God. Adam and Eve became sad about their sin, because sin leads to death. But here’s Jesus; He died on the cross as our sacrifice!” My eyes welled with tears as I listened to this tiny refugee from one of the most war-torn, hostile-to-the-gospel countries in the world – showing me her very own gospel tract! I’m so thankful God brought Nadia’s family to my “neighborhood,” and for the open door to share Jesus with refugees locally in Dallas, TX.

Isn’t it exciting to see how God is moving to draw children of every tribe and nation to Himself? The devastating wars and genocides throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Africa are creating a refugee crisis that has been called the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. But I’m convinced God is also using these circumstances to bring the nations into contact with the Gospel! As followers of Jesus, we have a golden opportunity to show Christ’s love and make disciples of the least-reached nations of the world.

Speaking of opportunities, I’m excited to share with you about the door God has opened for me to commit to refugee missions full-time as the Assistant Director of Child & Youth Services at For the Nations Refugee Outreach in Dallas, TX. For the Nations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving refugees’ practical and spiritual needs through ESL & citizenship classes, kids’ tutoring & outreach, acculturation, and Bible teaching, all in Jesus’ name. The organization is funded by private donations, and all staff must raise their own financial support. To learn more about the mission and ministry of For the Nations, check out ftnro.org or read a summary in this post from my blog.

My responsibilities in the children’s department at For the Nations will include: strengthening existing child & youth services for a variety of ages (such as after-school tutoring, neighborhood outreaches, summer programs, preschool, youth Bible studies & leadership programs, etc.), organizing events, preparing curriculum & classrooms, training & supervising volunteers, as well as substitute-teaching/tutoring for adult ESL classes. Personally, I am excited to apply the gifts and resources God has given me 1) to teach, mentor, & inspire youth to enjoy learning, serve others, and grow in relationship with Jesus Christ and 2) to motivate & assist churches to engage in refugee ministry.

During the past year I have been balancing For the Nations volunteering with various other part-time jobs, but I am eager to be able to commit full-time to serving local refugee families. This is not a ministry I can do alone, but will require a committed prayer & financial support team. Ideally, my plan is to transition into the full-time position at the end of January 2017; however, I must first reach a minimum of half of my goal, raised in either one-time or monthly amounts. Until then, I will only be able to serve part-time. I am praying for 100 committed prayer partners and for 25 individuals or groups who will partner with me financially at $100/month (or whatever amount the Lord may lay on your heart), toward my goal of $2,500 in monthly support. Will you pray and ask God how He might desire you to join me in this ministry?

If you would like to partner with me through your financial support, you can give online at ftnro.org/maryellen, or by check payable to “For the Nations: Refugee Outreach” and write “Maryellen” on the memo line. All contributions are tax deductible. For more information about giving options, please see the attached form. Thank you for your support; your gift of any amount is appreciated and your heart for ministry is such an encouragement to me.

If you would like to join my prayer support team, please send your mailing address to maryellen@ftnro.org so I can send you a prayer card. Since prayer support is so important to the success of this mission, I would like to know if I can count on you in that area. Thank you for praying for me and this ministry; you are an encouragement to me and you are making an eternal impact. For prayer updates and stories about my past, present, & future experiences with refugees here in Dallas, subscribe to this blog in the right-hand column by entering your email address and following the instructions.

If refugee ministry excites you like it does me, or if you know others who might be interested in learning more and/or supporting me as a missionary, I would be thrilled to get together with you to share more details, or to give a presentation for your church or other group. My contact info is listed below. Let’s get in touch!

Thank you for reading this long post, and for your interest in this ministry. Let’s persevere in making disciples of all the nations!

Current Prayer Requests:

- Pray that Nadia* will come to realize her personal need for Jesus and for her family’s salvation.
- Pray for the FTNRO staff & volunteers to have wisdom, stamina, and love as we lead classes & outreaches, and that we will be alert to opportunities to share Christ in creative ways during the Christmas season.
- Pray for me as I transition from my current jobs into raising support (this is new for me!), and for God’s clear direction and provision during this season of preparation.
- Let me know how I can specifically pray for you!


*Names changed for privacy reasons. To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*

A Refugee Thanksgiving

Last Thursday while I was substitute teaching for the Level 3 English class, we talked about the story of the first Thanksgiving. They surprised me with their excellent comprehension, though I'm sure it resonated as many of them, like the Pilgrims, also fled religious (and ethnic) persecution in Burma and China. It occurred to me how appropriate it is to celebrate this holiday with people who are experiencing firsthand the blessings of God's protection and provision as they settle in this great nation. May America always be used of God as a land of safety, bounty, and opportunity for the oppressed.

This week we had two Thanksgiving potlucks, one for the morning-classes group and one for the afternoon-classes group. I went to the afternoon-classes potluck with my students; many of their children I also know from Kids Club. It was a lot of fun teaching my friends from Burma about American traditions, and the meal was an interesting assortment of traditional American Thanksgiving fare along with various spicy noodle dishes from Burma and injera bread from Ethiopia. Yum! And of course, in typical Asian custom, we took pictures and selfies - lots and lots of selfies! I am so thankful and blessed to have been welcomed into the lives of these sweet friends here in Dallas, TX.

"I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to You among the nations." Psalm 57:9

*To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*

Groundbreaking!

On September 21, 2016, For the Nations Refugee Outreach had a Groundbreaking celebration to start the construction of a refugee community center. This facility will function as a school, church, and physical presence in the community, and will allow For the Nations to accommodate twice as many refugees so that more people can receive help and hear the good news found in Jesus Christ! Although I was unable to attend the ceremony, it's exciting to see how God is answering prayers through the progress of this project.

"This building is dedicated to everyone forced to leave their homes. To all who have run for their lives. To everyone who has experienced war, trauma, hunger, and pain. To those who are looking for a home. To refugees. Despite hardship, you are the most determined, willing, & hopeful group of people we could ever know. You are brave, kind, hospitable. You add character and depth to our country, and we are better because of you. This building is dedicated to you and to all those who will come after you. And in this place, we will welcome those who are far away from their homes. For those looking for an education, we will teach and for those seeking friendship, we will show love. For anyone far from their family, we will become a family. This place will be a symbol of hope for a bright future through education and an understanding of the American culture. But most importantly, this building will be a place where the true hope found in Jesus Christ can be proclaimed, and where the Message of life in a world of death can be shared to all nations. It's with this Hope and Good News that we dedicate this place to you! For you. For the Nations." (taken from the FTNRO Facebook page)

Fall News Update

It has been such a long time since I've written about what's been going on at For the Nations since classes started back up at the beginning of September! But so much HAS been happening here, and I'll try to summarize some of the highlights:

1) Back-to-school event - Just before school started back up in August, my mom and sister joined me, along with some youth from our church, for this event for kids and their parents. We had games, crafts, a Bible story, and passed out backpacks with school supplies to refugee children at their apartment complex.

2) ESL classes - Last spring, I spent one day a week at For the Nations, but this year I'm thankful that my schedule allows me to be there for all four afternoons each week of English classes so I can assist Htwa Meh (my deaf friend whom I wrote about in a previous post) and others more consistently. In addition to serving as the TA for Level 2, I've also enjoyed getting teaching experience with a variety of levels as a substitute teacher for other classes.

3) Kids Club - Kids Club continues to be my favorite weekly activity! On Tuesday evenings at an apartment complex with refugees mostly from Burma, I get to supervise the cute little kindergarteners and first-graders as they work on their spelling lists, math, and reading. All the kids, including the older ones, really get excited about the Bible story time. I remember one time when the Bible teacher said something about all of us needing Jesus to take care of our sin problem, one little girl exclaimed, "Yeah! We don't just want Jesus, we really REALLY need Him, a LOT!" Praise God for these young ones voicing the truth. :)

Our Thursday evening Kids Club has grown to almost twice as many kids as last year, which is exciting! And it's been so fun to have two former refugee Kids-Clubbers, who are now believers full of joy and energy, come back as volunteer tutors to invest in the children! Thank God for these dear young ladies. Please continue to pray for many of the kids to understand that Jesus isn't just for America, or for cultural Christians, but also for all the tribes and cultures of Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ethiopia, and Congo (I'm sure I've forgotten someone's country haha! But you get the point. :)

4) The Legacy Project - We have grown so much that the church buildings we rent as classrooms are simply not big enough to accommodate the number of refugees that want to enroll in English & citizenship classes. While it is exciting to see God bringing so many to a place where they will encounter the Gospel, I wish we didn't have to turn people away. But Lord willing, in about a year For the Nations will have completed construction on a refugee community center, which will give us a physical presence in the community and allow for twice the number of refugees we currently serve. I'll include some photos of the recent Groundbreaking ceremony in another post. For more info about the Legacy Project, check out this link.

Finally, one of the most exciting developments this fall (at least for me personally!), is that I have been asked to join For the Nations as a full-time staff member! Lord willing, I will begin as Assistant Director of Child & Youth Services this coming January. I really appreciate your prayers as I seek God's wisdom and raise a financial/prayer support team. But more about that in an upcoming post. ;)